What Are Your Deadline Moves

[Vanimal46]

3 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

He also still arguably might be your first or second best hitter. I’d argue losing his bat in the lineup would be harder to make up than just about anyone else. And 23 for one season shouldn’t be an issue for an owner that wants to win

I highly doubt he’s jumped from a .750 OPS catcher to a .950 OPS catcher over a long sample size. Paying $23 million to a catcher is crazy. Just look at Cal Raleigh this season. He’s unplayable this season after an MVP caliber season the previous year. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

6 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

I highly doubt he’s jumped from a .750 OPS catcher to a .950 OPS catcher over a long sample size. Paying $23 million to a catcher is crazy. Just look at Cal Raleigh this season. He’s unplayable this season after an MVP caliber season the previous year. 

And Raleigh is signed through 2030. 

So for example then, which would you pick,,,

1) Victor Caratini and Alex Jackson as your primary catchers for 2027 

2) Ryan Jeffers and Victor Caratini, with Alex Jackson as your primary catcher, JUST for 2027 at 23 million.

3) Ryan Jeffers signed to a 4 or 5 year deal at 16 per.

I'd argue, 23 million for 1 more year of Jeffers production would almost be better than 5 years of Jeffers production, no? And Jeffers is about a year younger than Raleigh too

[Mike Sixel]

7 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

And Raleigh is signed through 2030. 

So for example then, which would you pick,,,

1) Victor Caratini and Alex Jackson as your primary catchers for 2027 

2) Ryan Jeffers and Victor Caratini, with Alex Jackson as your primary catcher, JUST for 2027 at 23 million.

3) Ryan Jeffers signed to a 4 or 5 year deal at 16 per.

I'd argue, 23 million for 1 more year of Jeffers production would almost be better than 5 years of Jeffers production, no? And Jeffers is about a year younger than Raleigh too

You left out the likely SP prospect and 16 - 23 million to spend somewhere else on number one. 

[clone52]

8 hours ago, clone52 said:

Decided to have fun with AI and I think these trades are reasonable.  

Jeffers, Larnach and Debarge to the Rays for Bodine and TJ Nichols.

Grab Goodman from the Rockies for Lee, Prielipp and Tait.

Ryan to the Dodgers for Sirota, Zazueta and Root (and probably a lotto pick or 2)

Acquire Soriano from the Angels for Keaschall, Soto and Young.

Also trade Bell Rogers and Wallner for something.

Payroll is down so sign Gausman and Arraez this off-season.  Both 2-3 year contracts worth 15-20 AAV.

Losing Prielipp is the toughest loss, but for Goodman, I would do it.  Lee won't be a superstar and with Culpepper and Houston close, he can go.  Keaschall will have his defensive limitations so I am okay including him.

This gives a 2027 roster of

C: Goodman
1B: Clemens
2B: Arraez
3B: Lewis
SS: Culpepper
LF: Rodriguez 
CF: Buxton
RF: Jenkins
DH: Roden

Bench: Caratini, Kriedler, Martin, Sirota

Rotation: Gausman, Lopez, Bradley, Ober, Abel

Bullpen: Gomez, Morris, Sands, Rojas, Zebby, Banda, Anderson and Nance 

Playoff contender but not championship.

Now let's say something Crazy happens.  Pirates know they can't sign Skenes and decide to rebuild for 2030.  Deadling 2027: Twins acquire Skenes for Lackey (top 10 ranking), Abel, Quick, Winokur and Rodriguez for Skenes.

2nd half roster for 2027.

C: Goodman
1B: Lewis
2B: Arraez
3B: Culpepper
SS: Houston
LF: Sirota
CF: Buxton
RF: Jenkins
DH: Clemens

Bench: Caratini, Kriedler, Martin, Roden

Rotation: Skenes, Gausman, Lopez, Bradley, Ober

Bullpen: Gomez, Morris, Sands, Rojas, Raya, Banda, Anderson and Nance 

That's a championship roster.  Now on to 2028 defense.

Sign Cody Bellinger, Jhoan Duran

C: Goodman
1B: Lewis
2B: Arraez
3B: Culpepper
SS: Houston
LF: Sirota
CF: Buxton
RF: Jenkins
DH: Bellinger

Bench: Bodine, Kriedler, Mendez, Clemens

Rotation: Skenes, Gausman, Bradley, Rojas, Zazueta

Bullpen: Duran, Gomez, Morris, Sands, Raya, Banda, Anderson and Nance 

Dasan Hill pounding on the door for a debut.

 

Hot off the presses, heard Mariners maybe selling Emerson Hancock.

Emerson and Tyler Stevenson for Martin, Rogers, Raya and Jose Olivares.

 

2027 updates

Houston instead of Martin, starting SS and move Roden to bench.

Rotation: Gausman, Lopez, Bradley, Ober, Hancock

Bullpen: Gomez, Morris, Sands, Rojas, Zebby, Banda, Anderson and Abel

Post Skenes trade (LOL)

 

Roden

Rotation: Skenes, Gausman, Lopez, Bradley, Hancock

Bullpen: Gomez, Morris, Sands, Rojas, Raya, Banda, Anderson and Ober 

[nicksaviking]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

You left out the likely SP prospect and 16 - 23 million to spend somewhere else on number one. 

I don't want them to spend 16-23M on somebody else. I want them to either spend 40M on a good player, or I want them to play the young guys. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

3 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

You left out the likely SP prospect and 16 - 23 million to spend somewhere else on number one. 

They can do that too

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, nicksaviking said:

I don't want them to spend 16-23M on somebody else. I want them to either spend 40M on a good player, or I want them to play the young guys. 

Sure. 

[nicksaviking]

36 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Sure. 

I'm seriously not being flippant. The 16-23M free agents next year are going to be guys like Luis Arraez and Jazz Chisolm and I'd much rather run with the younger Keaschall and Lee. The pitchers will be Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, Brandon Woodroof and Sandy Alcantara. All have some combination of age, injury and severely declining strikeout issues. And if the bottom dozen teams are all going to spend more, than these guys all might blow past the 16-23M figure.

If there ends up being a salary floor, this years 22-23M QO is going to be way undervalued comparatively; if the system remains similar (which it never does) it's going to have to jump significantly after the CBA. 

[Mike Sixel]

33 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm seriously not being flippant. The 16-23M free agents next year are going to be guys like Luis Arraez and Jazz Chisolm and I'd much rather run with the younger Keaschall and Lee. The pitchers will be Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray, Brandon Woodroof and Sandy Alcantara. All have some combination of age, injury and severely declining strikeout issues. And if the bottom dozen teams are all going to spend more, than these guys all might blow past the 16-23M figure.

If there ends up being a salary floor, this years 22-23M QO is going to be way undervalued comparatively; if the system remains similar (which it never does) it's going to have to jump significantly after the CBA. 

Sorry. Neither was I. That 23 million goes a long way toward a good player....

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

Sorry. Neither was I. That 23 million goes a long way toward a good player....

Out of curiosity, what free agent(s) are you interested in? I guess that question isn't just for Mike but anyone who'd rather put the Jeffers QO money towards free agency.

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Out of curiosity, what free agent(s) are you interested in? I guess that question isn't just for Mike but anyone who'd rather put the Jeffers QO money towards free agency.

To be clear, I want to trade Jeffers for the AA pitching prospect....the money is a bonus. I haven't looked at FAs....but that AA pitcher is worth more than Jeffers for 1 year.

[nicksaviking]

Just now, Mike Sixel said:

To be clear, I want to trade Jeffers for the AA pitching prospect....the money is a bonus. I haven't looked at FAs....but that AA pitcher is worth more than Jeffers for 1 year.

Maybe. I guess I'd need to start hearing the trade scenarios rumors.

I'm still fairly turned off by the fact that the Twins were only able to snag one fringy top 100 prospect during last year's massive sell off. I think the system is pretty heavily rigged for the buyers these days, which not coincidentally is mostly made up of the big pocket teams.